Tony Bennett - one of the greats

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He was 96 and sang all the way through.

From our own Barry Fitzsimmons who spent years as a professional photographer

 In 1984,  George Varga a writer for the San Diego Union and I went to San Francisco to do a story on Tony Bennett. He had a show coming to San Diego, which included some of his paintings.  We were to meet him in his hotel in the late afternoon.  We arrived early that morning and went to the hotel to search for spots to photograph him.  We contacted the manager and asked if we could go up on the roof, using the San Francisco skyline as a backdrop.  The manager  agreed to take us up, and the view was fantastic.  

Arriving that afternoon at the hotel we found it fogged in at the street level.  We met Tony in his hotel suite.  After looking at his paintings, which were spread out around the room, I took some photos of him with the paintings. I asked if he might go up to the roof. I was dreaming that the fog was down low and tthat the highrise hotel might give us a view above it.  He very generously agreed and we went to the roof only to find you couldn't see your hand in front of your face because the fog was so thick.

Our time with him was pretty much over. As we got ready to leave, he said he was going to go to a little restaurant his friend owned and asked if we wanted to join him. Well,  yes of course.  We shared a cab to the restaurant and as we got out with him at Gino's little restaurant, I photographed him crossing the street.  Several people in cars driving by recognized him yelling out "Tony, we love you.  I left my heart"!

Tony Bennett was by far the most gracious celebrity I have ever photographed.  

Photo by barry fitzsimmons

Don’t miss 40 seconds into his duet with Gaga.

Sometimes, you just have to listen to the original - sixty years ago